Certificate in Digital Marketing
** FRESHLY UPDATED **
"Digital marketing specialist" is now, according to LinkedIn, one of the world's top 10 job skills that are most in-demand in today’s economy and the discipline is only going to grow in the future.
That's no surprise to us -- we've been saying more or less the same thing for the last decade -- but now the promise of Digital Marketing is no longer "in the future", it's right here, right now.
Digital Marketing is now New Zealand’s most important advertising medium.
According to the NZ Interactive Advertising Bureau, New Zealand digital advertising revenue now represents more than half of the year's total advertising expenditure.
Here’s how the medium has grown over the past several years, in terms of advertising turnover:
In other words, Digital Marketing is now THE most important skill to master.
We have many courses which cover various aspects of Digital Marketing but NOW we've drawn key elements together from across our range of courses to unveil our Certification Program in Direct Marketing.
This course draws on the latest developments in Digital Marketing, covering key competencies and new and emerging technologies.
This an ONLINE COURSE which you can ACCESS FROM ANYWHERE at your own pace, ANYTIME 24/7.
WHO SHOULD TAKE THIS COURSE?
Marketers at any level (from junior to senior) who want to acquire comprehensive training in all aspects of Digital Marketing based on the latest technologies. Those who successfully complete the course will receive a Certificate in Digital Marketing to add to their credentials.
Certificate in Digital Marketing
Course Content for THE CERTIFICATE IN DIGITAL MARKETING includes:
1 The Digital Environment
We start by giving you an overview of today's digital environment and how much Kiwi consumers have taken to living a digital life. Some of that is driven by the near-universal spread of smartphones, which in turn has turned us all into always-connected global citizens.
In this lesson, we talk about:
- how consumers can now browse, research and shop anytime, anywhere
- what convergence means for television viewing
- how consumer expectations have changed (and their ever-increasing desire for instant gratification because everything is connected)
- how Covid accelerated an already-existing adoption of digital behaviours (in many industries, compressing an expected three years of transition into three months)
- how ChatGPT and other Artificial Intelligence tools have dramatically transformed digital marketing
2 Strategic Planning
Before you undertake digital marketing activities -- or, in fact, any marketing activities -- you need to prepare plans and determine exactly what you're trying to achieve. In this lesson, we step you through the essentials of strategic planning, drawing upon both our many years in traditional marketing and our decades of digital marketing experience and expertise.
3 Understanding The Customer Journey
The customer journey (also Customer Journey Experience, Customer Engagement Cycle) refers to the stages customers travel through in their relationship with a specific brand (as defined by DJS Research).
In a digital world, the customer journey is both enriched and accelerated by the resources and the tools available, and if you're not taking advantage of that, you risk being superseded by those who are.
In this lesson, we step you through what you need to know to map out your brand’s digitally-enhanced customer journey and implement accordingly.
4 Organic (Unpaid) Search
Turns out that there’s quite a science to being found online (and an industry has grown up around the challenges of what’s now known as Search Engine Optimisation). In essence, if you want your prospects to find your web pages, those pages need to contain content that prospects are looking for. In this lesson we explore the How, What, When, Where & Why of SEO.
We also talk about the most recent developments, including:
- Zero-Click Searches
- Featured Snippets
- Voice Search
- Long-Tail Searches
- Topic Clusters
- Structured Data
- EAT
- Knowledge Graph Optimisation
5 Paid Search (Google Ads)
Not every page can be Number One on Google. So if you want to hit the top of the search engine rankings (especially for the most popular search phrases), sometimes you have to pay. In this lesson, we talk in detail about Google Ads and other Pay Per Click advertising tools.
6 Selling Online (Ecommerce)
More than half of New Zealand (58%) now buys products online! Seven out of ten Kiwi internet users aged 25-44 purchase online — and 94% of NZ web users who research items online (even if they eventually buy the products offline). And, thanks to Covid, in the first half of 2020, 170,000 Kiwis shopped online for the first time. In this lesson, we introduce you to the principles and practices of effective ecommerce.
7 Lead Generation
Generally speaking, as a business marketing online, you either want online buyers, online followers or online leads (those prospects who will convert into buyers later). In this lesson, we listen to highly-experienced digital marketers and draw on their collective wisdom to understand the best ways to generate leads (and turn them into buyers, consistently and efficiently).
8 Closing the Sale (Conversion Optimisation)
In Lesson Seven, we talked about Lead Generation. In this lesson, we focus on what you need to do to convert those leads into sales. Every little improvement turns into extra dollars, so it’s definitely worth the effort optimising your conversion rates.
9 Social Media Management
Once upon a time, if you had a Facebook page and posted content to that page, all of your followers would see it. Sorry, not any more. In this lesson we explore exactly what you need to do to build an effective presence in social media and get your posts seen, interacted with and action taken as a result.
10 Paid Advertising
Maximize your ad spend with the power of AI. This module provides an in-depth look at how AI is revolutionizing paid advertising. Learn to leverage AI-powered targeting, retargeting, and ad creation tools to maximize campaign performance on platforms like Google Ads and Meta Ads. We'll also explore programmatic advertising, ad exchanges, and how to effectively utilize the Google and Meta ad libraries in this new era.
11 Email
It’s the oldest digital marketing tool of all, but it’s still the most effective for most target audiences. In this lesson we talk about email marketing strategies and best practices, and the tools you should use to promote your business as effectively as possible through email.
12 Online Video
Online Video is now NZ's most popular medium, and it’s a powerful way to communicate your brand story, explain your value proposition, and build relationships with your customers and prospects. This lesson introduces you to the basic principles and explores some of the available tools.
13 Content Marketing
According to the Content Marketing Institute, content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly-defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action. It’s particularly relevant to B2B marketers, but it’s important for B2C as well. In this lesson we explore the principles of content marketing, including Creation, Curation and Content Pillars.
14 Influencer Marketing
Influencer Marketing has come from nowhere to become a hot buzzword these days, as more and more businesses turn to “influencers” — those who have already developed their own followers, especially in social media — and sponsor posts to promote their products. In this lesson, we explore the Dos & Don’ts of Influencer Marketing, and how to find Kiwi Influencers.
15 Messaging
Messaging Apps, also known as Dark Social, have gone from strength to strength in recent years, with Facebook's own Messenger and WhatsApp leading the way. In this lesson, we explore Messaging Apps and tell you what you need to know to use them effectively for marketing purposes.
16 Marketing Automation
Marketing Automation -- software tools designed to handle repetitive tasks such as emails and web actions -- can improve your efficiency and even (if used effectively) enable you to take actions that would otherwise not be possible. In this lesson, we explore the capabilities of marketing automation platforms and consider if and how you might use them in your business.
17 Writing for the Web
Writing online copy has become more important than ever — but there are processes to follow, and structures and formats that are forced on us by the various digital media channels. This lesson covers the key facts that you need to know when writing for the web, including the seven deadly sins you need to avoid.
18 Mastering Visual Marketing
Images and visual concepts are processed 60,000 times faster in the brain than text, according to 3M Corporation research. Add in our seven-second attention span (shorter than goldfish now) and it’s quickly obvious why visual marketing has become so important online. In this lesson, we explore how you can use visuals to multiply the effectiveness of your online content (and free and low-cost tools you can use).
19 Analytics
It’s free, and it’s packed full with information that can transform your digital marketing efforts. We’re talking Google Analytics, and a great many online marketers use the free Analytics service to track the performance of their digital marketing. In this lesson, you’ll discover exactly what you can learn from Google Analytics and how to master it (even if you hate maths and stats).
20 The New, New Marketing Technologies
In this final lesson, we peek into the digital marketing technologies of today and tomorrow, including such topics as VR, AR, IoT, programmatic advertising, chatbots & Artificial Intelligence. The digital tools are getting smarter and smarter, and you need to keep track of what’s possible (and what’s inevitable).
ONCE YOU'VE COMPLETED THIS COURSE
You will receive your own Certificate in Digital Marketing.
TIMING
This course begins on Thursday 25 September, 2025.
INVESTMENT
This comprehensive Digital Marketing Certificate course is available for $1297+GST. However we offer a $100 Early Bird Discount for bookings received and payment made by midnight on Thursday 18 September, 2025. Pay only $1197+GST for this course!
Bookings are confirmed on receipt of payment, which can be by bank deposit or credit card. We can raise an invoice in advance if you need it.
To reserve your place in this course, please click here to enrol:
If you require an invoice in advance, or prefer to pay by bank deposit, please send an email to info@netmarketingcourses.co.nz with your requirements.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
You’ll receive our emailed confirmation of your booking. Then on the first day of the course we’ll follow up with details of your Login and Password, along with an Enrolment Key for the Certificate in Digital Marketing online training course.
If you have any questions, or would like more information, please email us at info@netmarketingcourses.co.nz
Your instructor for this course is Michael Carney, one of New Zealand’s most experienced digital marketing practitioners and educators. As the founder and director of Netmarketing Courses, Michael has dedicated the last fifteen years to researching, creating, and delivering practical, relevant online training designed specifically for the Aotearoa market. His mission is to empower Kiwi organisations and marketers with the skills they need to thrive in a competitive digital landscape. To date, he has trained over 3,000 students through partnerships with leading industry bodies including the NZ Marketing Association, NZ Retailers Association, Tourism Industry Association NZ, and Hospitality NZ.
Course participants range from absolute beginners just starting to come to grips with digital marketing through to senior marketing professionals looking for Continuing Professional Development and seeking to stay up-to-date with the latest changes in the ever-evolving digital environment. Specific courses are offered for organisations of all sizes, from solopreneurs and small businesses through to local and central government bodies and large corporate businesses.
Michael has practical, hands-on experience with all aspects of digital marketing, from website creation to social media advertising, from strategic guidance and trend analysis to thought leadership. He has been online since 1987 and involved with digital marketing in all its aspects since the mid-1990s. He was an early adopter of Generative AI when ChatGPT launched in late 2022, and now has extensive experience with using AI for research, brainstorming, content creation, design, video creation and editing and what's become known as "vibe coding", using AI to develop web applications.
Michael’s expertise is built on a career spanning more than four decades, during which he has developed marketing and advertising strategies for many of New Zealand's most iconic brands. His extensive client list includes The Warehouse, ANZ Bank, Lion Breweries, Griffins Foods, Sony New Zealand, Honda New Zealand, and Heinz Wattie. This deep, hands-on experience at the highest levels of the industry ensures that every course is grounded in real-world application, not just academic theory. He has held senior strategic roles in major advertising agencies, including National Media Director at HKM Advertising and Strategic Planning Director for The Media Counsel.
Beyond his client work, Michael is a respected thought leader, published author, and industry contributor. He wrote the bestselling book "Trade Me Success Secrets," which sold out its first printing in just six weeks, and has ghost-written several other business books on topics like digital transformation. For years, he chaired the Network of Digital Marketers for the NZ Marketing Association and he has been a regular magazine columnist for Marketing Magazine and other titles. This unique combination of in-the-trenches experience, proven teaching ability, and strategic insight makes him the ideal guide to help you master digital marketing.
Feedback from previous digital marketing training course and workshop participants:
- It is great that we have managed to get an external perspective on marketing in the digital space – your expertise in this area is greatly appreciated. – Hazel T.
- I really enjoyed the [Digital Marketing Workshop] today and got a lot out of it – Nikki H.
- Thanks for a great [Digital Marketing] session yesterday, really enjoyed it and learnt lots – Izi W
- “this was the best professional development course I have done in many years” – Mark R, senior Agency Exec responsible for social media
- “thought the information within was outstanding” – Ed P, General Manager
- “What I loved was that I started with a fairly rudimentary understanding of social media but have learned a lot – including where to find more information as I need it.” – Fiona W, Marketing Manager
- “I found it relevant, informative, topical, insightful and a bloody good read. It’s never evangelical, too techy, patronising, assumes that you know too much or too little about digital and has a warm sense of humour in the communication throughout which helped faciliate the learning process for me.” — Adrienne B, new media senior executive
- “Thanks for pointing me in the direction of this course! It’s been extremely enlightening” — Shayne P, design agency director
- “Rapt with what I have seen of the course” — Julia R, fashion editor
- “I’m really enjoying the course – learning a lot – and I know the two friends I persuaded to join us are also loving it.” — Lavinia C, designer
- “Am thoroughly enjoying the content!” – Kara B, magazine co-ordinator
- “I was already engaging with social media and have been doing so for about 6 years or so. But, did I know how to use social media in a marketing and business sense? No, I simply did not. This course was a great way to show me how to do that.” — Sheryl K, online marketer